Wendy J. Baker is an executive-level ERISA and employee benefits attorney with 30 years of experience advising plan sponsors, recordkeepers, and fiduciaries on the full spectrum of qualified and nonqualified retirement plan compliance. Known for her ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical, business-ready guidance, Wendy brings a rare combination of in-house leadership, national recordkeeping platform experience, and deep consulting firm expertise to her work at Hall Benefits Law.

Most recently, Wendy served as Associate General Counsel, Product and Compliance at Human Interest Inc., a 401(k) recordkeeper servicing more than 40,000 defined contribution plans. As one of the first attorneys brought into the organization, she played a central role in building the firm’s legal and compliance function from the ground up, ultimately helping grow the team to 14 professionals. In that capacity, she served as the primary in-house ERISA authority, advising executive leadership and cross-functional teams on plan design, compliance testing, fiduciary responsibilities, error correction programs, and controlled group and M&A issues—while also resolving client escalations, developing training programs, and writing for industry publications.

Prior to Human Interest, Wendy held senior legal roles at BB&T (now Truist), where she served as Vice President and Legal Officer III for Retirement and Institutional Services, providing qualified and nonqualified plan consulting, IRS client representation, and internal and external training. She also served as Senior ERISA Attorney and Vice President at Ascensus, and as Senior Attorney at Buck Consulting, where she analyzed regulatory developments, researched emerging issues, and created intellectual capital to support compliance and HR strategies. Earlier in her career, Wendy served as Assistant Vice President of Research and Technical Services at Aon Consulting, advising on health and welfare plans and drafting plan documents and HIPAA Business Associate Agreements. She also served as Assistant General Counsel at Greensboro Associates, Inc., and began her career in the Human Resources Consulting Group at Ernst & Young.

Wendy is equally sought after as a trainer, speaker, and communicator, with a proven record of developing and delivering legal education for both legal and non-legal professionals at all organizational levels, including C-suite leadership.

EDUCATION

• Juris Doctorate, Case Western Reserve School of Law
• B.S. in Business Administration and B.S. in Biology (dual degree), Heidelberg College

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

• North Carolina
• Ohio